Stephen b



(No Model.)

S. B; MORSS.

LAMP WICK. No. 555,257. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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y WITNESSES:

ANDREW a GRAHAM. Primo-umn WASH'XNBTGNDC NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN n. MoRss, oF RAI-IWAY, NEw JERSEY, AssiGNoR OE ONE-FOURTH ToCHARLES o. MICKLE, oE NEw YORK, N. Y.

LAM P-WICK,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,257, dated February25, 1896.

niplicsation tiled April 1l, 1895x Serial No.545,276. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHENB. MORSS, a citizen of the United States,residing in Rahway, Union county, New Jersey, have invented certa-in newand useful Improvements in Lamp Vicks, of which the following is aspecifica-tion.

The object of my invention is to provide a practically non-combustiblewick which shall 1o possess all the advantageous oil-feeding qualitiesof the ordinary cotton wick without the disadvantages inherent in thelatter wick, such as its charring, smoking, and production of odors.

In carrying out my invention I provide a noncombustible body or carrierprovided on top with a flange or lip, and in contact with said body Iplace a cotton or other suitablyconstructed brous wick, the upper end of2o which rests beneath said flange or lip and in contact therewith. Saidange or lip is made porous or perforated to permit the passage throughit of oil by capillary action, the oil being fed to said flange by saidfibrous or cot- 2 5 ton wick. The flame burns on the upper edge of saidflange or lip, and consequently does not reach the fibrous or cottonwick, the result being a pure white light without combustion of the wickmaterial.

The invention further consists in the novel details of improvement andthe combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth,and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of the noncoinbustiblebody forming part of my improved wick. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionthereof. Fig. 3 is a corresponding view showing the fibrous oil-feederin position on the non-combustible body. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe body or carrier having a perforated iange or lip. Fig. 5 is acentral section of a wick having double walls, forming a space toreceive wicking material. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a flat wickhaving two walls and a fiat top, Fig. 7 is an end view of a rectangularwick-body having a central space, and Fig. S is a perspective Viewshowing a flat wick-bod y hai/'ing a iian ge and a porous wickingattached thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several views, the let- 5 5 ter Aindicates a non-combustible wick body or carrier having a fiange or lipa at its upper end, and B is a fibrous wicking material placedcontiguous to said body A and resting against the under surface of theflange or 6o lip a.

The bodyA is preferably made of suitable clay and is also preferablymade porous in the course of manufacture in any well-known or desiredmanner of making porous noncombustible bodies, or it may be alongitudinally-perforated body made in a well-known manner. The flangeor lip a is also made porous or perforated, so as to serve to convey oilby capillary action to its upper surface from 7o the fibrous wicking B.

The wicking B may consist of the ordinary cotton wicking of commerce, orit may be of any other desired or suitable material which will serve toconvey oil to the flange a.

I have shown the body Aand flange a in a single piece of material, whichis the preferred construction.

I have shown the body A in tubular form, which will serve with thewell-known central- 8o draft lamps or burners, being made of suitablesize to pass over the central tube of the lamp. The fibrous wick B isalso shown of tubular form fitted over the body A and lying in closecontact therewith; but whether my wick is made in tubular form orotherwise is not material to my invention so long as it embraces thecharacteristics of a body having a porous orperforated fiange or lip anda iibrous wick in contact with said body and resting 9o against theunder side of said flange.

By preference the body A extends down about to the bottom of the fibrouswicking B, so that both parts of the complete wick will be equallysupplied with oil. 9 5

Then the bodyA is made of porous material, as baked clay, it assists inconveying oil to the flange or lip a, and the crevice between the body Aand wicking B also serves to carry up the oil by capillary action inaddition to roo the inherent capillary capacity of the fibrous wickingB.

In Fig. 5 the wick-body has double walls, forming a space The wicking Bwhen placed in said space carries the oil to the flange or bridgea,while the double walls serve to thoroughly protect the wicking B.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have shown the body or carrier A as flat orrectangular, Fig. 6 showing two fiat walls A A joined to the flange orbridge d, the sides or edges being open to permit the insertion of thewicking B between said walls. In Fig, 7 the body A is rectangular, andall four sides forming a central space l) for the wicking B. In Fig. S asingle flat plate A is shown having the flange a, and the wicking B maybe secured thereto by any suitable means.

W'hen my improved wick is in use the top of the wicking B preferablyextends slightly below *the top of the outer metal tube of thelamp-burner, so that the flame will be prevented from reaching saidwicking; but the flange cl. projects above said metal tube and presentsa proper surface for the flame which burns above the flange a. As theflange a does not consume, it will at all times be level on the topsurface to produce an even flame, and there is therefore no necessity oftrimming the wick. Much trouble and annoyance is therefore avoided.

My improved wick is practically indestructible under ordinary conditionsof use, as the flange a is unaffected by the heat from the flame. Theflame burns uniformly and evenly, and as there is no burning of the wicksmoking and the creating of odors are prevented and a perfect combustionof the oil takes place and the qualities of the light are improved,because the body A and flange a become heated and volatilize a portionof the oil or convert it into gas before it reaches the flame.

My improved wick is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, andcan be made to fit almost any make of burner, suitable provision beingmade to enable the wick to be raised and lowered, which can be done inthe burner the same as with an ordinary cotton wick.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction shown anddescribed, as they may be varied without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim isl. A wick ofinflexible or selfsupporting incombustible porous material, as clay,comprising a Wall serving as a support for a fibrous flexible wick, andan integral flange serving as a continuation of the fibrous ilexiblewick, substantially-as described.

2. A wick of inflexible or self-supporting incombustible porousmaterial, as clay, comprising two parallel walls for inclosing andsupporting a fibrous flexible wick, and an integral flange upon saidwalls serving as a continuation of the fibrous flexible wick,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN B. MORSS.

Witnesses:

J ULIUs BLUMBERG, T. F. BoURNE.

